NEW ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OE STATE.

31

A.—No. 1.

■of the Governor than to interfere, in any unconstitutional manner, with the control of Native Affairs, which was formally transferred, six years ago, to the Colonial Government. G. F. Bowen.

Enclosure 1 in No. 12. The Governor of New Zealand to Major-General Sir Trevor Chute, K.C.B. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, New Zealand, 23rd July, 1869. In continuation of my letters of the 30th ultimo and of the 19th instant, I have tho honor to inform you that I have this day been requested by my Responsible Advisers to transmit for your consideration a Ministerial Memorandum, with printed copies of telegrams attached to it, and also a second Memorandum, with, appended to it, certain Resolutions passed almost unanimously last night by both Houses of the New Zealand Parliament, respecting the 2nd Battalion, LMh Regiment. I am further requested to inform you that tho Superintendent of Wellington, Dr. Featherston, who accompanied you on your West Coast campaign, is about to proceed to Melbourne, and has been deputed by the Ministry of this Colony to furnish you with any explanations which you may require concerning the enclosed papers, and tho present state of New Zealand. It will be seen that tho Colonial Parliament has now pledged itself to " pay such sum as the " Imperial Government may require for the time the troops are detained until its decision is made " known." As you already know, no control or discretion whatsoever has been left to me in the matter of the removal of the 2nd Battalion, 18th Regiment; and the instructions of Her Majesty's Government have placed it beyond my power to take any action, or to exercise any responsibility in tho matter. I have told the Ministers that lam not aw rare if any discretionary powers have been left to j'ou. There can be no doubt that the North Island of New Zealand is in a very critical position, and that there is a strong probability of a general rising of tho disaffected Natives after the entire removal of the troops. I have, &c, Major-General Sir Trevor Chute, X.C.8., G. F. Bowen. Head-quarters, Melbourne.

Enclosure 5 in No. 12. The Goveenoe of New Zealand to Commodore Lambert, C.B. Sir,— Wellington, New Zealand, 24th July, 1809. In continuation of my letter of the 19th instant, I have now the honor to transmit, for your information, two further Memoranda from my Responsible Advisers, respecting the present critical state of this Colony, and the Resolutions passed by the New Zealand Parliament, pledging itself to pay such sum as the Imperial Government may require for the 18th Regiment, if detained in this country. 1 have, &c, Commodore Lambert, 11.M.5. " Challenger." G. E. Bowen. P.S. —I beg to request your attention to the concluding paragraph of the Memorandum of the 22nd instant, in which Ministers strongly urge how exceedingly desirable tho presence of one or more of Her Majesty's ships is at this critical time. G. F. B.

Enclosure 6 in No. 12. Memorandum by Mr. McLean. Wellington, 6th August, 1869. Since the date of the last Memorandum (of 3rd July) to your Excellency, giving a narrative of events from the Ist May, no fresh military operations have been undertaken against the rebel Maoris, and no ■collision between them and the Colonial Forces has occurred. The Colonial Forces were employed in garrisoning a lino of posts extending from the Bay of Plenty towards Waikare-Moana. The inclemency of the weather at ibis season of the year, the danger to which the working parties and convoys were exposed from ambuscades of the enemy, the impossibility, except at a cost beyond the resources of the Colony, of keeping up supplies, and lastly, the fact that the posts maintained were of no advantage for defensive purposes, rendered it advisable that ihe force should be withdrawn, reduced in numbers, and re-distributed as garrisons where most necessary. A force under Lieut.-Colonel Herrick, composed chiefly of Natives, and which was originally intended to co-operate with Colonel Whitmore against the Uriweras when that officer withdrew from the Uriwera country, commenced operations at Waikaremoana, with a view of punishing the Uriwera tribe, who had taken part with Te Kooti in the massacres at Poverty Bay and Mohaka, and was now occupying fortified pas on the Lake. This expedition required very extensive and costly preparations. Pontoons and boats had to be built, and the materiel and provisions for the force to be conveyed a distance of thirty miles over tracks which the incessant rains had made almost impassable; the enemy also had managed to send parties round to our rear, (on one occasion an orderly with despatches was killed within three miles of camp,) thus increasing the difficulty of communication and supply. The nature of the country and the difficulty of crossing the Lake rendered success at best doubtful; and as the result would not be commensurate with the cost, this enterprise was abandoned and the expedition withdrawn. The Natives have returned to their homes, and the remainder of the force, consisting of Armed